UK 'on target' for 1m unbundled lines in 2006

The UK is on target to hit one million unbundled lines during 2006, according to the organisation responsible for overseeing the development of Local Loop Unbundling in the UK.

In its latest update the Office of the Telecommunications Adjudicator (OTA) reported that there are now more than 163,000 unbundled phone lines in the UK with numbers growing by more than 5,000 a week.

And with the successful bulk migration of lines starting to kick in, the OTA remains confident that real progress is being made. In fact, the OTA predicts that bulk migration volumes are due to "ramp up significantly" and predicts that the number of lines to be unhooked from BT's network to rival providers is expected to be more than 500,000 by July.

As well as increased numbers, the OTA said that the "operational problems" that have frustrated the industry over recent months are showing "some improvement".

Part of this is down to a reduction in the number of errors that have snagged orders. But as the OTA says: "Performance had been affected by a combination of automation and operational problems. These look to be on their way to resolution at the current time."

Despite the improvements, the OTA recognises that there are still some "ongoing quality issues" which need to be resolved.

Even so, looking ahead it says: "We are still on target to achieve greater than one million lines unbundled in 2006." ®